Palm Sunday Refugee Rallies

The national refugee
rallies on Palm Sunday, 14 April, will be the change for
refugee supporters to hit the streets and march to end
offshore detention and the years of refugee-bashing, and
call for an end to offshore detention and to bring all
refugees and asylum seekers from Nauru and Manus Island to
Australia.

But there are almost a thousand refugees on
Manus and Nauru, and thousands of other asylum seekers in
detention or left waiting destitute in the Australian
community who can’t afford another Coalition
government.

“Scott Morrison is guilty of the most
expensive election stunt in history - $185 million to
re-open Christmas Island, only to announce its closure a few
weeks later,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the
Refugee Action Coalition, “Like other Australian detention
contracts, re-opening Christmas Island has put tens of
millions of dollars into the pockets of multinational
detention companies Serco and IHMS,” said Ian Rintoul,
spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.

“But six
years after being imprisoned on Manus and Nauru, the victims
of offshore detention are still waiting for badly needed
medical treatment, but most of all they are still waiting
for justice and freedom.”

A highlight of the rallies
will be the support of medical students through Australian
Medical Students’ Association (AMSA). In Sydney,
acontingent of medical students who will help lead the march
from Belmore Park to Victoria Park.

“Australian
medical students are calling for an end to offshore
detention of refugees and asylum seekers, pushing to change
the policy that jeopardises asylum seekers’ health,”
said Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA)
President, Ms Jessica Yang.

“People fleeing
hardship and war are vulnerable; subjecting them to offshore
detention has a devastating impact on their mental and
physical wellbeing,” Ms Yang stated.

Craig Foster,
the former Socceroo who played a central role freeing
Bahraini refugee, Hakeem al Araiby from detention in
Thailand will also address the rally. “I'll be there to
speak about our treatment of asylum seekers, about Australia
recovering its humanity and compassion and depoliticising
the plight of vulnerable people. We need to stop harming
people to deter others," said Craig.

The Sydney
rally will assemble 2pm, Belmore Park (near Central Station,
stage near the Hay St entrance of the park), for opening by
the Solidarity choir and speaker (list below.) The rally
will march around 3pm to Victoria Park.

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